Kurt Cobain

KURT COBAIN

Kurt Cobain (February 20, 1967 – c. April 5, 1994) was the singer, songwriter and guitarist of the legendary band Nirvana.

Cobain was interested in music since childhood. His early life was rather happy and he lived as a part of the typical American family in Aberdeen, Washington. His life changed dramatically at the age of 7 when his parents divorced. In high school, Cobain revolted against jocks and homophobes. He spent his time at the library and at local punk shows. He did not graduate from high school however, and was thrown out of his house by his mother. He stayed at friends’ houses and sometimes spent the night under the Young Street Bridge in Aberdeen.

In 1987, he moved to Olympia and formed Nirvana together with Krist Novoselic (bass) and Chad Channing (drums). Channing would later be replaced by Dave Grohl. They recorded their first album Bleach in 1989, but it was their sophomore album Nevermind (1991) that caught the world’s eye.

Cobain wasn’t prepared for such fame. He felt persecuted by media and started to use drugs regularly. In 1992 he married Courtney Love – frontwoman of Seattle band Hole – and their daughter Frances Bean was born that same year. Cobain’s addiction progressed with each year, and he was unable to deal with media scrutiny. He overdosed several times between 1993 and 1994, with the most serious occurring on March 4 in Rome, Italy. This was his first alleged suicide attempt. He continued to struggle with his heroin addiction, and April 8, 1994, Cobain was found dead in his home.

Kurt’s body has been cremated, with one third of his ashes scattered at the Namgyal Tibetan buddhist monastery in Ithaca, New York, another third in the Wishkah River, and the rest left in Courtney Love’s possession. It is said that Love donated part of the ashes to Aberdeen artist Randi Hubbard who them incorporated them into cement used to create a life-size statue of the artist. The statue resides at Hubbard’s Muffler Shop in Aberdeen, Washington.

If you want to light the candle for him, you can do it here.